


Meant To Burn

by LisaVanDerMolen



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Nightwing (Web Series), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Greece & Rome, Alternate Universe - Ancient Rome, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Gladiators, M/M, and the actual volcano, based on the movie pompeii, title is work in progress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-01 22:06:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17252240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LisaVanDerMolen/pseuds/LisaVanDerMolen
Summary: Based on the movie Pompeii





	Meant To Burn

**Author's Note:**

> trashy --
> 
> HAPPY NEW YEAR

The snow slowly fell to the ground. People had started to light off the fireworks, it was only a matter of hours and the new year would officially start. Dick sighed as he watched the beautiful colours in the sky explode. The sky turned from red, to gold, back to red and so on forth. The urge to just go out and have fun with the commoners was irresistible, but Dick knew if anybody caught him it would reflect bad on his family. He was already the shame of the family, although he was deeply loved by the people of Gotham they would never truly forget his past. The past where he was free as a bird, flying from city to city, performing dangerous tricks. The past of a circus freak as his small crowd of haters had dubbed him.

Dick sighed again watching the sky turn a rich blue colour, if he closed his eyes long enough he could picture himself standing next to the children of the streets. He could feel the unforgiving wind cutting into his skin, but he didn’t care, because all around him he was surrounded by joyful faces. Faces that hoped for a better year, better harvest. Another year where the great volcano would be asleep.

Dick had been back in Gotham for a day and a half and already saw the changes all around him. He was cursing at the God’s above, everything he had tried to escape in Bludhaven had come back to haunt him in his hometown. The new emperor had made Bludhaven his permanent residence and at first Dick was fine with it, nobody bothering him as he continued to study the art of healing people. But luck was not one his side, somehow he had managed to capture the attention of the imperial legate, Slade Wilson. Dick rolled his eyes remembering the pompous bastard that had followed him back to his hometown. Every corner he turned in Gotham suddenly seemed like Bludhaven all over again. Even the villa’s inside was decorated to the latest fashion in the ‘haven.

He let his thoughts lead him back to the stranger gladiator he had encountered on his way home.

* * *

_"Are you excited to go back home, my lord?” Tim Drake his personal servant asked._

_Dick laughed a little,“Tim how often do I need to remind you, you may call me Dick and if that is to improper for you Richard will do fine.”_

_Tim playfully rolled his eyes, the carriage continued to make a booming noise as it hobbled on the dirt road. The ditches along the way were filled up with water causing mud to splatter against the carriage doors._

_“And yeah, I am quite excited to go home. It seems as if the Haven has become anything but one,” Dick softly whispered staring out of the carriage at the muddied fields they were passing._

_Tim looked into the distance, he knew how much Richard, no Dick had started to despise attention. He knew that the other man once loved to be the center of attention, a wonder for everybody to behold, but as he grew older the attention turned more vulgar. Less and less people started to take no for an answer. It put Dick in an uncomfortable position, a position he would rather flee from._

_The carriage continued to hobble but it seemed the horses had slowed down, the path ahead had become more and more unsteady. More bumps were about to come and the mud the drainage ditches seemed to be overflowing with mud. Tim shook his head internally grimacing it how much worse the ride was about to get._

_In the distance both man saw a group of slaves walking in a line of two’s as soldiers kept on ordering them to keep on moving. As the carriage came closer to the group they turned out to be brutes also known as gladiators, Dick saw the different scars that littered their bodies. Their muscles seemed bigger than his and Tim’s faces combined. Dick wasn’t some helpless damsel but even he felt the goosebumps appear on his arms at the thought of having to fight any of these man._

_The carriage passed the man, a comfortable silence fell upon Dick and Tim when they felt the hobbling stop. “What’s wrong?” Dick asked as the carriage didn’t make any effort to move._

_“My lord, the wheel has gotten stuck in a hole. It doesn’t seem to be budge,” the carrier rider informed Dick, he seemed to be assessing the damage._

_“Maybe we should help him?” Dick said getting ready to get out of the carriage when he felt Tim’s hand on his shoulder._

_“My lo--Dick, we both know that wouldn’t be proper, if word traveled how the governor’s son pushed his own carriage that could ruin your father’s reputation.”_

_Dick rolled his eyes still feeling the need to help the man outside the carriage out. “I hate how everything revolves around money and riches,” he whispered underneath his breath. He knew that if the people of Gotham even got a slight suspicion that Bruce couldn’t sustain his family they would attack. The people of Gotham were proud citizens that would do anything to keep their cities good name._

_“Slaves push it!” Dick heard a harsh voice command. He felt disgusted at the thought of somebody being so ruthless to fellow human beings. That people could just use another person like they were worth nothing just because they were below them. Dick shook his head, he wouldn’t be able to change the minds of the people in Gotham, but he could run away to place where slaves didn’t exist. Wistful thinking, that’s what all those running away dreams were._

_Dick felt the carriage being pushed, it slowly started to move again. He wanted to thank the men but knew he couldn’t. So he just nodded to the soldier that was openly ogling him. The carriage didn’t get far, a pained sound was heard and both Dick and Tim hurried out of the carriage. They were met with writhing horse whose leg was broken. Dick felt a lump grow in his throat as he saw the animal continue to cry out in pain._

_“The horse is in pain, let me help!” a rough voice yelled out from behind Dick._

_“Silence!” the sound of a lash striking the ground had Dick shivering. He turned around to met with a soldier blocking a tall man._

_“Let him help,” Dick called out to the soldier. “If he says he can help let him.”_

_“My lord,” the soldier bowed a little pushing the slave forward. Up close he was the most handsome man Dick had ever laid his eyes upon. The man was well built, his body was littered with scars. His gladiator outfit was black and showed off his abs. His black hair with a streak of white running through it reminded Dick of the far North for some weird reason. The man had a killer jaw but most importantly his eyes. They seemed to be a turquoise colour that reminded Dick of the ocean when the sunlight hit it on just the right angle. Dick noticed that the man’s hands and ankles were cuffed with heavy looking chains._

_“I need to be unchained for me to be able to assist the horse,” the man said closer up his gruff voice sent down pleasant shivers along Dick’s spine. The soldier didn’t seem like he was going to comply with the request._

_Dick sighed feeling tired, the long ride from Bludhaven finally catching up to him,“Uncuff him,” Dick ordered._

_“My lord this brute is dangerous,” the soldier tried to warn Dick._

_“Just do as I say!” Dick snapped. The soldier finally complied and unchained the slave._

_The man immediately went over the horse that was still writhing with pain. The man touched its muzzle, softly running his fingers up and down. The horse calmed down immediately both Dick and Tim watched in amazement as the man moved on to pet the horse’s back. The horse laid down quietly when the man moved his hands to its neck. He looked up at Dick,”could you put pressure on the top of the leg here,” he guided Dick’s hands to the right place. The confusion must have shown on Dick’s face as he clarified,“so he doesn't feel the pain when I move him. Easy boy, easy boy, easy.” Before Dick could even blink he heard the inevitable crack of the horse’s snapped neck. The soldier apologized to Dick for having to witness such a horrible act. Dick tuned him out as sapphire eyes met turquoise ones that seemed to have changed colours to grey. A small smile was sent his away before the slave was pulled away and forced back in line._

_“Harness another horse!” somebody yelled._

_“Why do you think that savage did that?” Tim asked clearly shaken up by the viscous act he had just witnessed, subsequently bringing Dick out of his state._

_“Because he knew it was the kindest thing to do,” Dick answered watching the black haired slave move on. Heading towards the cities big gates, being lead of the arena where he would have to fight to survive each and every day. The marks of gladiators were known by all._

_The rest of the journey was spent with Tim teasing him about the slave, and for once Dick wasn’t mad about it._

* * *

Dick was brought back to the present when somebody called out his name. “Master Richard,” the kind voice of Alfred guided him back. He smiled at the old man, grateful that it wasn’t another soldier trying to get him to take a “walk” with him.

“Yes Alfred?”

“Master Bruce has requested your presence,” Dick got up to go to the balcony where his adoptive father was currently trying to get somebody of the ‘Haven to invest in Gotham’s new viaducts and bigger and better arena. A wine pitcher was trusted in his hands,“This is not for you master Richard.”

Dick playfully rolled his eyes,“no one would know Alfred,” he teased hurrying away as the old man tutted after him.

Dick made his way to the balcony with a smile on his face. His mood had lifted considerably since the beginning of the night, with the little teasing he had just accomplished. Dick entered the balcony and felt his blood run cold. He felt the urge to drop the pitcher and just run away. Far away from the rotten man that stood next to his father.

“Ah, Richard there you are,” Bruce said with a smile on his face. “This is the imperial legate--”

“Slade Wilson,” Dick said with as much venom as he could muster in his voice.

“Your son is truly a beauty to behold,” Slade Wilson said.

“You have met before?” Bruce asked becoming suspicious of the intentions of the man standing next to him.

“You’re still here,” Slade said dryly, before Bruce could intervene once again Dick cut him off.

“Could you get me a cup, seems like I have forgotten mine.”

Bruce looked between the two man for a long time before muttering an okay and walking back into the main room of the villa where the party was held.

“What do you want?” Dick asked bitterly the reason he had run back home was here again.

“My my Richard is that any way to great the imperial legate, where are you manners?”

Dick rolled his eyes and turned around when he felt a hand on his shoulder stop him,“what do you want?” he asked calmly without turning around.   
“You and I both know why I’m here, I made you an offer in Bludhaven. An offer that is to great for a circus clown like you,” Slade whispered in Dick’s ear, his disgusting breath offended his nostrils.

Dick elbowed him hard, Slade gasped out as Dick moved closer to the exit of the balcony,“well my lord if I am a circus clown to you, than imagine what the rest of the empire must think of me.” Dick’s eyes hardened, Slade looked at him with anger. Slade tried to corner Dick. Dick slyly poured the contents of the pitcher in front of his feet, both man knew that walking in wine would anger the Gods above.

“Like I said in Bludhaven I respectfully decline your offer,” Dick dropped the pitcher letting it clatter before turning around and walking away from the disgusting man that lacked a hell of a lot.

“You’ll regret this,” was a silent promise whispered when the sky lit up a dark red colour the booming echoing through the streets of the city. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is sooo bad but alright. I will try to get another chapter out by tomorrow. I should be working on my other fics but writers block sucks so much tbh like uggghhhhh i get inspiration at 3 am and its all so vague like a llama eating candy while somebody pets it, i could become a billionaire with that concept ;) (Note for auto correct I AM CANADIAN, and that's the correct way to spell colour so please stop underlining it thanks from me your buddy :)))
> 
> HAPPY NEW YEAR may 2019 bring you and all the people you hold dear love and prosperity. May you pass every test with an A and get the courage to be yourself. Also be the hoe I know you can be, be wild my child. Make 2019 your year, you can do this I believe in you :)


End file.
